Here’s a nice writeup about chances to do some dancing on the island, submitted by Jim – see what you think:

WHY DANCE
by Jim Vedder

Paul & Mary-Brooke dancing!

Why dance? Or what’s so fun about a man and a woman moving in tandem to the music?
It started when I was fifteen. A hundred fifteen pounds and just waking up to girls. My sister Connie taught me how to jitterbug and then it was off to the Bantam Hut on Friday nights to dance to “Little Latin Lupe Lu,” “Sherry” and “Louie, Louie.” A giant pulsating, neon colored juke box with them on one side of the room, boys on the other and a huge chasm in the middle. It was exciting and – gasp – dangerous! I fancied myself a pretty sharp dancer but, at the same time, knew I was hopelessly outmatched in the area of the opposite sex. Still, there was that allure – rhythm and romance. What could be better?

Jim & Mary-Brooke...

Many years later our daughter was going to be married and we signed up for dance lessons. Swing and salsa. We put in twelve weeks with Bill and Rita at the dance studio. Left foot, right foot, left foot, right. At the reception it was beautiful. Our friends cheered as we slithered and shimmied, folding ourselves in and out. We were on fire. The dream was reborn.

Those were the beginnings. Then came the movie Shall We Dance with Richard Gere and Jennifer Lopez and the program Dancing with the Stars and, suddenly, everyone wanted to dance. And, best of all, we met Paul and Mary-Brooke. These newcomers are wonderful dancers who are great teachers and totally on fire with spreading the gospel. I’m talking about the gospel of love – also known as ballroom dancing.

Jim turns Karen...

With Paul and Mary-Brooke as our guides my wife Karen and I have been dancing the Rumba, the Cha Cha, Waltz, Swing and Foxtrot. We think the Latin dances are the sexiest but all of the dances have their appeal. For the Waltz, think elegance – I imagine Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday. For Swing, it’s sheer exuberance and the compelling beat – say the Animals or the Talking Heads. And for Foxtrot, you’ve got to picture Frank Sinatra and his total command of the universe.

Anyhow, it’s been a lot of fun, but not just because of the dances themselves. We’ve met a whole new batch of friends – friends that embrace life fully. We dance together, we gather at each others’ homes and go out on the town after dance lessons. Lots of laughs.
And I’m working at being a better leader. With the man in dance it’s all about making the woman look good which, believe me, is how it should be. I still haven’t made much progress in that area of understanding the opposite sex, but I am having a great time dancing.

Are you interested in joining a group of people who like to dance? Lessons with Paul and Mary-Brooke Barger will be starting soon. We dance at the XYZ Studio with instruction during the week and extended practice sessions on Friday nights.

Beginning East Coast Swing Group Lessons – Starting Monday September 12th, 7 PM, for five consecutive weeks. $40 each person. Are you ready to rock ‘n roll?

Swing is one dance you will use over and over again when dancing to the live music played around town, so this is a good place to start. It’s not hard to do, and the music is lively and fun. We’ll teach easier step patterns that will provide the foundation for more advanced patterns later. Plus, we’ll show you the lead and follow techniques necessary to be successful dance partners. Comfortable clothes. Hard-soled shoes are very much recommended. Lessons start promptly, so arrive early.

Beginning Waltz Group Lessons – Starting Tuesday September 13th, 7:15 PM, for five consecutive weeks. $40 each person. Get ready for weddings or anniversaries, or a special holiday waltz.

Waltz is a smooth, elegant dance that travels around the dance floor. The music is graceful and can be very emotive. Make believe you are wearing sumptuous long gowns and razor-sharp tuxedos… We’ll teach you easier step patterns that will provide the foundation for more advanced patterns later. And, we’ll show you the lead and follow techniques necessary to be successful dance partners anywhere and with anyone. Comfortable clothes. Hard-soled shoes are very much recommended. Lessons start promptly, so arrive early.

If this appeals to you, contact Paul at [email protected] or 378-4333.

Diane Ludeman leaving for White Plains, NY

Got this note from Sheila Harley about islanders helping out:

Hurricane Irene Effects the San Juan Islands

On the Sunday before Labor Day, Diane Ludeman, a member of the Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team here on San Juan Island deployed to White Plains, New York to work as a Client Case Worker. There she will spend three weeks helping Hurricane Irene’s victims cope with and begin to recover from the devastating conditions they find themselves in. Diane has been a Red Cross Volunteer for several years and is also a member of the Logistics Team on San Juan Island.

Closer to home, Bob and Linda Barnhart, also members of the Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team here on San Juan island, deployed to Orcas Island as Client Assistant Caseworkers, to assist a client whose house, on Orcas, caught fire. Although there is actually an ARC DAT member on Orcas, she is presently in South Carolina caring for her family who sustained flooding caused by Irene.

Whether it is across the country or across the Sound, American Red Cross Volunteers are here to serve those people in need because of disasters.

Those interested in joining The Islands Chapter of the American Red Cross, may contact
Arlin Rothauge, Mass Care Supervisor and Unit Manager, at 378-6500.

Just got this report from Fire Chief Steve Marler:

SAN JUAN FIRE CREW HEADS EAST

When the 10:00 PM ferry sailed from Friday Harbor on Wednesday night, a San Juan Island Fire Rescue crew was aboard with their wildland fire engine.  They were heading to the mainland to become part of a “Strike Team” of five fire engines drawn from Whatcom and Snohomish Counties.  Their destination is Kickitat County, to help fight the nearly 1,000 acre “Monastery” fire.  They traveled through the night in order to be ready to be assigned to the fire line at 6:00 AM today.

Lieutenant Michael Henderson and Firefighter Gilbert Venegas may be away as long as a week fighting the fire which has already caused evacuations outside the town of Goldendale.  If the assignment extends beyond seven days, a relief crew may be sent.

As in many wildland fires, local people do what they can to save their own community, In Goldendale, home to St. John the Forerunner Greek Orthodox Monastery, several of the nuns dressed in traditional habits were armed with charged hoses dousing the outskirts of the fire.  [For photographs, see here.] Continue Reading

Just got this update from Deanna on the work at the airport – gonna look good when it’s done! Here’s more:

Airport construction project

Construction is underway at Friday Harbor Airport on a project to install a new emergency generator and electric vault along with other electric system improvements.  The contractor, Award Construction Inc., will also perform upgrades to the airport’s pedestrian and vehicle gates.

This project is funded by a $1.3 million grant from the Federal Aviation Administration.  The FAA’s Airport Improvement Program provides for planning and development of public use airports, and is financed by user fees, aviation fuel taxes and other revenue sources.  Friday Harbor Airport is eligible to receive $1 million each year from this program because the airport serves more than 10,000 passengers boarding commercial aircraft each year. The Port has approximately $3 million “banked” for future construction.

Washington State’s Department of Transportation awarded the Port a grant of $33,000 to cover half of the local match required for the FAA grant.   Continue Reading

Michael & Jennifer & the crew are ready for you!

It’s become an annual event that I look forward to – lunch at the dentist’s office. Check it out – you’re welcome to drop by!

Hey, just a quick note – I’m visiting my folks in Chattanooga, Tennessee & you probably heard the news – a lot of flooding & the power’s out. I’ll be updating things over the next couple of days when I can find a connection, but probably we’ll keep a low profile till I’m back on Friday….

Most of the city’s dark, so we’re having some great conversations!

Back atcha, soon!

Love ya & miss the island…..

Andrew V. McLaglen (center) directed Rock Hudson and Edward Faulkner in "The Undefeated."

Nancy Larsen from Griffin Bay has a special event to tell you about – featuring one of the island’s more distinguished gentlemen:

Griffin Bay Bookstore and San Juan Island Library are co-sponsors of a special evening with islander &  Hollywood director Andrew V. McLaglen and film historian Stephen B. Armstrong on Saturday, September 3, 7:00 pm. They will appear together at Griffin Bay Bookstore to sign copies of Armstrong’s new book, Andrew V. McLaglen: The Life and Hollywood Career.

McLaglen and Armstrong will begin the evening with a presentation that focuses on the director’s lengthy career, screening clips from two of McLaglen’s best films, “Shenandoah” and “Fools’ Parade.” Following this, they will sign copies of Andrew V. McLaglen: The Life and Hollywood Career, available for purchase at the store.

Acclaimed director Andrew V. McLaglen is the subject of a new book by film historian Stephen B. Armstrong. Titled “Andrew V. McLaglen: The Life and Hollywood Career” (McFarland & Co., 2011), the book is the first of its sort, providing readers with a comprehensive survey of McLaglen’s experiences in the movies, television and the theatre. Born in 1920, Andrew V. McLaglen emigrated to the United States as a young boy, after his father, the British actor Victor McLaglen, relocated from London to Hollywood. From an early age, Andrew expressed an interest in directing motion pictures. In 1945, he landed a job as a production clerk at Republic Pictures. Over the next ten years, he found work as an assistant director, a unit production manager and a producer. Among the movies he worked on during this period were several classics: “The Quiet Man,” “Hondo” and “The High and The Mighty.”

In the mid-50s, McLaglen began to direct movies himself. One of his earliest pictures was a Western called “Gun the Man Down,” which featured James Arness in the lead. Arness at the time was starring as Marshal Matt Dillon on the “Gunsmoke” TV series. Upon Arness’s recommendation, McLaglen was invited by CBS Television to direct for “Gunsmoke.” He would subsequently helm more than 250 television programs, working on not only “Gunsmoke,” but also “Have Gun, Will Travel,” “Perry Mason,” “Banacek” and “The Wonderful World of Disney.”

By the mid-60s, McLaglen had come to be recognized as one of the most talented directors working in television. His success led to numerous offers to direct feature films. A favorite of both John Wayne and James Stewart, he had hits with the pictures “McLintock!” and “Shenandoah” in the mid-60s. Later he worked with stars like Doris Day, William Holden, Richard Burton and Roger Moore.

McLaglen retired from filmmaking in 1989 with more than 30 credited feature films. In 1992, he turned his attention to the stage, lending his talents as a director to San Juan Community Theatre. The plays he’s directed have ranged from a musical adaptation of his own film “Shenandoah,” to the Neil Simon comedies “Rumors” and “The Odd Couple.” McLaglen has been a resident of Friday Harbor since 1977.

An associate professor of English at Dixie State College in St. George, Utah, Stephen B. Armstrong grew up in Annapolis, Maryland. He earned his Ph.D. in English (Creative Writing) from Florida State University in 2004. His articles and reviews about the cinema have appeared in numerous publications, including “Film Score Monthly,” “Classic Images” and “Film Quarterly.” His first book—“Pictures About Extremes: The Films of John Frankenheimer”—was published by McFarland & Co. in 2008.

Armstrong spent nearly three years writing “Andrew V. McLaglen: The Life and the Hollywood Career.” “I’ve always been a fan of Mr. McLaglen’s movies,” Armstrong said. “When I was a boy, I remember being deeply moved by “Shenandoah.” And as a lifelong fan of Westerns, I’ve always thought that pictures like“The Undefeated” and “Chisum” were great.

“I started thinking about writing a book about Mr. McLaglen after I saw a WW II picture he made in the eighties called “Breakthrough.” This is a film few people have heard about, but it’s a masterpiece–thrilling and very sad at the same time. Anyway, as I watched more and more of Mr. McLaglen’s movies, as well as his television work, I realized that he is one of Hollywood’s most undersung directors. And so to help remedy that, I wrote this book.”

Armstrong interviewed McLaglen extensively, making two trips to the director’s home in Friday Harbor. “I remember vividly the first time I came up to the San Juans to meet with Mr. McLaglen. I live in the desert, you see, and the lushness of this area absolutely knocked me over. I was struck, as well, by how green the land looks up here—and I’m colorblind.”

Armstrong also had a chance to meet several of McLaglen’s friends who live in Friday Harbor, including actors and staff from the San Juan Community Theatre. “The people up in this corner of the state are great. Very thoughtful, very generous. San Juan Island is a real jewel.”

Stephen Armstrong comes to the island to share his book about Andrew V. McLaglen...

• Let’s check what’s going on these days….

I ran into Kevin Crouch (he goes by Lee, now) on the Seattle-Nashville flight this week - Kevin is in the entertainment promotion business & graduated from Friday Harbor High in 1982. Great to swap stories about the island in the time since then....

• Hey, I checked in with Scott at the bowling alley, and yes, it’s nearly time for leagues to get started! You can sign up as a team or individual – give Scott a call at 370-5667 extension #1, or drop by after midday & check in. Every time I’ve dropped by the bowling alley when leagues are going, it’s easy to get pictures of smiling people. So – make it so one of them is you!

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• The count is good – I’ve now talked to fifteen people who loved the play at the Community Theatre…and this is the last weekend for the KWIT Radio Hour. Don’t miss this one – it’s too good!

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• There’s open mic at the Rumor Mill tonight, and Kirk Fuhrmeister is hosting – here’s more:

Please come share your Music at the OPEN MIC at the Rumor Mill Friday, Sept 2nd. I will be hosting the evening and look forward to some great players/singers/songwriters making music for one and all. Sign up starts at 6:30, music 7-10. See you there! Kirk

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• Pacific Catalyst Trip for sale!
For sale: An incredible trip for 2 aboard the MV Catalyst, for the Island Reflections Trip, September 26th-October 1, 2011. The trip is 6 days/5 nights, in Cabin 3. The value is $3,600 but we are asking $1,000 O.B.O. All proceeds go to the Terry Ogle Medical Fund! To learn more about the MV Catalyst and the Island Reflections trip, go to www.pacificcatalyst.com. Contact: Megan at 370-5797.

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• She’s amazing – Teri at Be Chic Boutique says the shoes are in:

New Fall Tom’s Shoes have arrived!

Be part of the Tom’s Shoes One for One movement. With every pair you purchase, Tom’s will give a pair of new shoes to a child in need.

Hurry in while we still have size availability.  Our last shipment flew out the door!!

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It's Monday!

• The IMA (Islands Museum of Art) presents “Sculpted Alive” this Monday holiday – here’s more! Sounds great!

• Ukelele classes begin at Isle Be Jammin’ next week – give Kirk a call or drop by the store.

• Penny Dunn and the Purple & Gold boosters want to remind you that there are hamburgers & hot dogs at tonight’s home football opener with LaConner at 7pm- see you there!

• Pancakes!

The regular monthly Pancake Breakfast at the Mullis Center will be on Sunday, September 4 from 9 until noon. Scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and all the pancakes you can eat. Juice and coffee are included. All for only $6 for adults and $3 for children under 12. All proceeds benefit the Mullis Community Senior Center. Meet your friends there. Enjoy a delicious breakfast while visiting with friends.

Just got this note from Sandy Strehlou (sstrehlou (at) fridayharbor.org) – sounds fun:

On Friday, October 28th, at 7pm the Library, The San Juan Island Visitors Bureau and the Town of Friday Harbor Historic Preservation Program are collaborating on a night of story-telling with the theme of island ghost stories and lore.

The event will be an entertaining way combine local history, historic buildings and sites, and Halloween in a fun and intriguing way. Not taking ourselves too seriously, we hope participants will share (as my five-year-old calls them) “true life stories” as well as with the unsubstantiated but always entertaining “urban (in our case rural) legend.” Here’s where you come in: I know there are lots of good stories out there and you may know some.

If you would be so kind as to respond with a brief description of your story, or even a story you heard third-hand, I would love to follow up and get the details. Identifying what stories exist before the event will help Robin Jacobson, Adrienne Bourne and I gather background information about the site or events surrounding the story. And of course we hope you will join us on the 28th. Either way, please write and share what you know, have been told, or seem to remember from tales told over the years. It’s all good fodder for a dark and stormy night of stories.

The classes start with Bill Ament on the 7th – here’s the deal:

ZUMBA GOLD WITH BILL AMENT COMING TO SAN JUAN ISLAND!!!
We are so excited to announce that we are introducing ZUMBA GOLD to the active older adult community, as well as for beginning participants, as part of our successful ZUMBA program. Continue Reading

Kendra now lives in Redding, CA....

Several of you noticed that I was able to shoot a picture of Thor’s book a couple of weeks ago in California…yep, I took a little trip to San Francisco, but of course ran into island things on the way.

It was fun to visit with Kendra Keithcart Whitney (FHHS ’03) in Redding on the way down…the former Warehouse Coffee barista moved to Californina in 2004, and now is an assistant manager at a clothes store…and says hi to folks on the island!

Also, on a stop to see a show in Ashland at the Shakespeare Festival, Cameron & I found old programs from years gone by in the gift store, including ones in the early eighties that included shows featuring Island Stage Left founders Dan Mayes (left) and Helen Machin-Smith.

That's Helen in Henry V (I think), and Dan is The Comedy of Errors....in the early 1980s in Ashland.

Great to run into Dr. Eduardo Miller on the ferry last weekend...he returned to the island with his new bride Lisa so they could go sea kayaking. The former San Juan Health Care Physician is practicing in Seattle these days....

Let’s look around:

• There’s construction at the airport – here’s the inside story, from Dave:

I wanted to update you on the status of construction here at the airport. This week (Aug.29th) we’ll be doing the layout for the new electrical vault and saw-cutting at the gate locations. This should not affect flight operations, however some of the drive-thru gates may be out of service for short periods. Next week beginning September 6th we will begin cutting the ramp just north of the terminal. That surface will be out of service for a few days while trenching and conduit are placed. Taxiway “A” will remain open. Please use caution for opposite direction traffic. Also during that time we will be beginning work on Gates #2 and #5 (Near Dane Armstrong’s hangar and near the tower, respectively.) Please use the other drive thru gates during this construction. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please call me.

David M. Ryan, Airport Manager, Friday Harbor Airport

• Now online: The Today Show segment that includes local “Marriage Works” authors Mark & Jeanine Earnhart is now posted on NBC’s site here.

• Remember we talked about Kate Schuman playing at the Skagit County Fair three weeks ago? Her  longtime friends Bill and Micki Jackson made a nice little video that will give you a taste of her show:

• You knew the Chameleons are playing Saturday at The Rumor Mill at 7:30? Thought so.

Brian looks over the store last week....drop by & say hey at the Sandpebble!

• Have you been by the Sandpebble lately? Brian & Carolyn have the place looking good & the store has a pleasant, welcoming friendliness about it…drop by & say hey!

• Judy from the Land Bank has exciting news:

Land Bank Opens Historic Driggs Park in Friday Harbor

The Land Bank has partnered with property owners Pete and Becky Kilpatrick to allow public access to the lot at the corner of Caines Street and Argyle Avenue.  The lot is adjacent to the Land Bank’s office space in the historic Driggs house.

The Town's newest park...

“We wanted to provide people with a little bit of public green space in town and the Kilpatrick’s were incredibly generous to help us do it,” said Lincoln Bormann, Land Bank Director.  The Kilpatrick’s donated a recreational license agreement for public use.  The lot is private property and the owners retain the right to revoke the agreement after one year if their plans for the property change.  “Though this isn’t permanent, we’re hoping it will remain as a public resource for at least the next few years, and possibly beyond,” Bormann added.

The house was built around 1895 for G.B. Driggs, a local merchant and fruit grower.  “Originally, the house would have looked down on the Driggs’ orchards and strawberry fields,” stated Sandy Strehlou, Historic Preservation Coordinator for the town.  There is an apple and pear tree on the lot, possibly dating back to the time when the Driggs owned the property.  “We’re so lucky to have owners who have restored and maintained the house and are willing let people enjoy the adjacent lot as well.  It really helps keep the historic character of the neighborhood intact,” Strehlou concluded.

The lot also features an heirloom rose bed which the Land Bank and WSU Master Gardners have restored.  “We wanted to recreate the flower beds that once lined Argyle and probably Caines as well,” said Judy Cumming, Land Bank office manager and Master Gardner.  “It’s been a big project so far, removing the invasive ivy and starting to get some new plantings in.  Pete and Becky and other volunteers have been really helpful,” she continued.  “It’s amazing how the lot has changed in a few months time.”

“We’re so happy to be a part of this,” commented owner Pete Kilpatrick.  “It’ll be really satisfying to see the lot kind of brought back to life and people enjoying it.  It’s great to give back a little to the community.”

Driggs Historic Park is open during daylight hours, seven days a week. Continue Reading

It’s cool – Thor Hanson has one more presentation about his new & critically acclaimed book “Feathers”…this one is at The Whale Museum at 7pm today (Wednesday) as part of their summer science lecture series. The other two shows were packed, so come early!

Here's a copy of Feathers that I found in a bookstore in Point Reyes Station, California a week ago, being held by an actual ornithologist. Thor's book is doing well everywhere, far as I can figure....

After a summer break, the Garden Club is gearing up for the season – here’s more from Dot:

The San Juan Island Garden Club will resume our meeting schedule on September 6 at 1 p.m. at the Mullis Center.

This will be an organizational meeting for hostesses signing up and for a preview of proposed speakers for the year. The current hostesses of the Garden Club meeting have a wonderful dessert and program arranged, and Master Gardener Alice Deane will be talking to us about how to save seeds from our summer plantings.

Jan from the Community Theatre says there is only one weekend left:

Last weekend! Everyone who saw the show last weekend tells me this is awesome & not to miss it!

The first two shows of the comedy hit, KWIT Radio Hour, were sell-outs–so make sure and get your tickets because there are only four shows left in the intimate Gubelman Theatre!

Written by John Davis and Therese Finn and directed by Therese Finn and Susan Williams, this modern twist on the old-fashioned radio show continues this Thursday through Sunday at 8 pm.

The play features music, sound effects, and skits (like a soap opera called “As the Harbor Churns”) with lots of references to people and places we all know on San Juan Island, keeping the laugh meter running on high!

The KWIT Radio Hour cast features Patti Bair, Keith Busha, John Davis, Daniel Finn, Therese Finn, Julie Greene, Gretchen Gubelman, Shannon Kelley, Julie Laidlaw,
Rev Shannon and Susan Williams.

Buy Now on line! or Box Office hours are 11 am to 4 pm Tuesday through Friday and 11 am to 2 pm on Saturday.

Sunset last night, shot from the ferry as it leaves the dock in Anacortes...

Hope your week is off to a great start, and that you get a chance to work on that 12-hug program of yours (you KNOW you need 12 hugs a day to stay healthy, right?)

Watching birds from the bow of the ferry....

Here’s some stuff going on around us:

• Remember we talked about how Jeanine & Mark Earnhart were filmed by the Today Show folks?

The last word (which could change!) that Jeanine heard yesterday is that it will air this morning at 8am or so (they said 8:08am) in the second hour of the show.

Let’s see how it turned out!

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• I know you like killer whales, so I’ll be you like this little YouTube vid that Jay White took when he went out with Jim Maya last week.

They were just north of Patos Island in the Strait of Georgia.

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• Candace (the San Juan Farmers Market co-manager) is excited to report the Farmers Market is ready to move – here’s the deal:

The San Juan Farmers Market is moving! The market will set up for the first time at the Brickworks on Saturday, September 10. Come find your favorite vendors and their delicious produce, colorful bouquets, fresh seafood and meats, grass-fed burgers, hot sausages, baked goods, pizza, and more!

The Brickworks is at the corner of Nichols Street and Sunshine Alley in downtown Friday Harbor. Off-street parking has been graciously offered for the Saturday market by Mi Casita, Key Bank, the San Juan County Health Department, and Wells Fargo Bank. Short-term parking is available at the Brickworks, and there will be a Veggie Valet for shoppers who wish to check their purchases at the market for pick-up later.

Market vendors and the Market Band look forward to welcoming you to their new home at the Brickworks on September 10, 10am-1pm.

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Bob Jones (right) hosted his graduating class' 50th reunion (Brentford, South Dakota!) here on the island this past weekend, and welcomed classmate Gary to San Juan.